Growing up in a family of artists working in a variety of mediums from printmaking to sculpture, drawing and painting, I was exposed to an artistic environment from an early age. My paintings are a mixture of thought and emotion, seeking to show my interpretation of the natural world, and our journey and struggle in our existence. In my paintings I try to capture the spirit of the landscape, sometimes including imagined animals, symbols and artefacts.
Biography–
Aia Leu is an artist born in 1971. As a young girl, she studied figure painting in Vevey, Switzerland. Her grandmother was Swiss artist Eva Aeppli. Aia’s work draws directly from her multicultural and bohemian upbringing. Her work is particularly influenced by both her years spent as a child in India, and the richness of the Irish landscape. She moved to Kenmare in Ireland in 1989 and is based from her studio in the mountains near the town.
With her work in private collections worldwide, she has had solo shows and contributed to group shows internationally. Recently her work was on exhibit as a part of ‘Leu Family Art’ at the Museum Tinguely Basel in Switzerland in 2021.
She is currently working on a new series of paintings on our disappearing wildlife.
To view paintings foe sale click here.
Awards and Nominations–
2021 2nd Runner-up, Best Tarot Deck, Thoth Journey:The Oracle of Change, CARTA ITF Awards.
Selected Solo Exhibitions-
2014 Spirits, Ancient Rituals Tattoo & Art Gallery, Killarney, Ireland.
2012 Rockpools: Precious as Gold, Carnegie Arts Centre, Kenmare, Ireland.
2006 Cottages, Deenagh Lodge, Killarney, Ireland.
2005 Kerry Landscapes, Deenagh Lodge, Killarney, Ireland.
2004 Doras, Deenagh Lodge, Killarney, Ireland.
2002 Kerry Landscapes, Mulcahy’s Restaurant, Kenmare, Ireland.
Selected Group Exhibitions–
2023 Artist Eye Exhibition, Great Southern, Killarney, Ireland.
2022 HUSH HUSH Scariff Library, Mountshannon, Co. Clare.
2022 Kenmare Windows Arts Exhibition, Kenmare, Ireland.
2021 Lost & Found, International Online Exhibition, Vacant Museum.
2021 Kenmare Windows, Kenmare, Ireland.
2021 5 Women Artists, online group show, TheIon3Gallery.
2021 Leu Art Family: Caresser La Peau du Ciel, Museum Tinguely, Basel, Switzerland.
2019 The Museum of Weed, Weedmaps VICE, Los Angeles, USA.
2018 The Wren Gallery, Kenmare, Ireland.
2018 Art Leu Family, Caresser La Peau Du Ciel, le lieu unique, Nantes, France.
2017 Group Show, Carnegie Arts Centre, Kenmare, Ireland.
2016 Mirador Art Gallery, Ozora Festival, Hungary.
2015 Art Leu Family: Caresser La Peau du Ciel, Museum CIMA, Ste Croix, Switzerland.
2015 Mirador Art Gallery, Ozora Festival, Hungary.
2015 K-Fest Gallery 9, Killorglin, Ireland.
2014 Pint Size Paintings, Mansfield Art Center, Ohio, United States.
2014 Mirador Art Gallery, Ozora Festival, Hungary.
2014 The Gathering: An Exhibition of Works by Kerry Artists, Tech Amergin, Waterville.
2013 The Gathering: An Exhibition of Works by Kerry Artists, The Copper House Gallery, Dublin.
2013 The Gathering: An Exhibition of Works, Dept of Art and Heritage, Killarney, Ireland.
2012 3rd Eye Art Gallery, Boom Festival, Portugal.
2011 Beara Arts, Group Show, Mill Cove Gallery, Co. Cork.
2010 Body Language, Carnegie Arts Centre, Kenmare, Ireland.
2009 June ‘Fresh Art’ Group Show, Carnegie Arts Centre, Kenmare.
2002 May Kenmare Arts Festival, Bluestone Gallery, Kenmare, Ireland.
1999 Kenmare Art Gallery, Bridge St. Kenmare, Ireland.
Publications
2023 Artist Eye on Kerry
2023 Thoth Journey: An Oracle for Change. Aquarius edition. Seedpress.
2021 Diary, Earth Pathways, Derbyshire, UK.
2020 Thoth Journey: The Oracle of Change, publisher: Seedpress, ISBN 9780955110993
2018 HEY! Modern Art & Pop Culture, No 3 Season 2, June 2018. (illustrations Aia Leu)
2017 Berber Tattooing, publisher: Seedpress, 2017 ISBN 9780955110955
2013 The Swiss Review, article in the Regional Edition GB 3/13 June 2013
2013 The Gathering 2013, Copper House Gallery, Dublin, Ireland.
2012 The Art of The Leu Family, Seedpress, ISBN 9780955110924.
1989 Skin Shows, publisher, Virgin Books, ISBN 0863692729 (illustrations Aia Leu)
1988 Ailleurs Arrive, poetry, Terry Chaisin. publisher: A. Groux. (Illustrations Aia Leu)
